Bob Jones loses early; James Clemens loses late
Abbey Payne takes a high tight pitch in early game action (Record Photo/Lindsay Vaught)
HARVEST- James Clemens and Sparkman played late into the night Thursday in the Class 7A, Area 8 softball tournament. Sparkman won a 9-8 game in eight innings and moves to a 3:00 pm championship game today. The defending state champions are one win away from a top seed in the North Regional next week at Huntsville Sportsplex.
Earlier in the day Sparkman defeated Hazel Green 10-5 and James Clemens defeated Bob Jones 7-4 to set up the winners bracket showdown.
Both Sparkman and James Clemens mounted comebacks late. But it was the combination of Mackenzie Nutt and Kaleigh Stoker that gave Sparkman the hard-fought victory.
Aubri James pitched all eight innings for James Clemens. Sparkman loaded the bases in the eighth inning on Nutt’s single and Stoker’s walk. The winning run scored on a grounder to second and Taylor Davis beat Renee Bolduc’s throw home.
Sparkman went up 5-1 in the fourth inning. A bases loaded double by Courtney McFarland was the big blow. James Clemens, down 6-3, scored 5 runs in the sixth. A double by Abbi Payne plated two and Jordan McMeans added a double to plate two more. All the runs came off Sparkman starting pitcher Kaleigh Stoker who pitched the complete game.
In the Jets 7-4 win over Bob Jones, James Clemens’ Jordan McMeans smacked a two-run home run off Hannah Pope in the sixth. Bob Jones got a home run from Mikayla Jones in the seventh but it was not enough.
Bob Jones started Bailey Anderson at pitcher. She went 3 innings and gave up 5 runs. Hannah Maniss came in a pitched two scoreless innings. Pope, who made several nice catches in centerfield, came on in the sixth. She struck out the side but allowed a walk and the home run to McMeans.
Emily Jacklin pitched the complete game for her 20th win of the season. She allowed a run in the third inning, worked perfect fourth and fifth innings, and an error on a pop fly led to two runs in the sixth.
